Fire extinguisher



1 June 20, 1933. I 1 R. H. CAMPBELL 1,915,182

FIRE EXTINGUI SHER Filed Aug. 29, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z Fzyrl.

INVENTOR ROBERT HUNTER CAMPBELL av ms ATTORNEYS June 20, 1933.

R. H. CAMPBELL FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed Aug. 29, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ROBERT HUNTER CAMPBELL BY HIS ATTORNEVS Patented June 20, "1933 v UNITED. s'rA TES PATENT OFFICE- FIRE EXTINGUISHER Application filed Aug ust 29, 1932, Serial No. 630,929, and in Great Britain October 12, 1931.

This invention relates to fire-extinguishers of the kind comprising a vessel containing a fire-extinguishing medium, and means for sealing the outlet of the said vessel; and this invention has for its object to provide an improved fire-extinguisher of the aforesaid kind which is ready for immediateuse and wherein the fire-extinguishing medium can be more easily and quickly liberated;

According to this invention the fire-extinguishing medium in the vessel is sub ected to pressure before the said vessel is sealed and is maintained under pressure until lllP- erated, and the outlet of the said vessel 1s provided with a closure of soft, or plastic, metal of relatively low tensile strength having a hollow part at its inner end open to the interior of the vessel which. closure can be broken, when desired at its hollow part to liberate the said fire-extinguishing medium.

I will particularly describe this invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shews in elevation a preferred construction of sealed fire-extinguisher in accordance with this invention and Figure 2 is a similar, elevation shewing the C104 sure thereof fractured thereby liberating the fire-extinguishing medium. Figure 3 is a section, drawn'to a larger scale than the said Figures 1 and 2, of the lower end of the said fire-extinguisher and its closure. Figures 4 and 6 are elevations showing alternative means for fracturing the closure of the 'fireextinguisher, and Figures 5 and 7 are-respectively sections on the line 'A, B, Figure 4, and C, D," Figure 6.

. The fire-extinguisher consists of a solid drawn, pressed or soldered vessel 1 of any suitable metal havingsecured in its outlet a tubular metal connection2 in communication with the interior of the said vessel and having an outlet orifice 2a adapted to receive and to have secured therein a closure 3 .of soft, or plastic metal of elatively low tensile strength, such for example as the closure for capsules described and illustrated in the specification of British Letters Patent .No. 253,744, granted to me J one 24, 1926 (acceptance date), wherein the said closure is "Instead of fracturing the projecting porprovided with an outwardly projecting stemike portion 3a and is longitudinally hollow from its inner end to within a suitabledistance from its outer end, so that the latter can be easily broken at the said hollow part. The outlet orifice 2a is internally screwthreaded to receive the soft, or plastic, metal closure 3 and has a shoulder 26 therein which constitutes a seating for the said closure. I The vessel 1 ischarged to about two-thirds of its capacity with fire-extinguishing medium (which may for example be carbon tetrachloride) after which the soft metal, or plastic, closure 3 is inserted in the orifice 2a. Gas under pressure (such for example as carbonic acid gas) is then conveyed to the orifice 2a and passes, between the internal screwthreads therein and the soft metal, or plastic, closure 3 and the rear end thereof and its seating 21) into the vessel-l. When sutficient gas has been admitted into the vessel l to obtain the desired pressure it is sealed by compressing the soft, or plastic, metal closure 3 in the orifice 2a. This may be efiected by a v press, the plunger of which presses upon the said closure 3 and causes it to expand laterally and flow into the internal screw threads in the orifice 2a thereby hermetically closing the said vessel.

The outwardly projecting stem-like portion 3a of the closure 3 may be fractured, when desired, by snapping it transversely. and this may be facilitated by angular movement of a lever 4 screwed, or otherwise secured, thereto, Fracture of the said stemlike portion 3a immediately liberates the fire extinguishing medium which passes from the vessel through the now open ended hollow portion of the saidclosure remaining in the orifice 2a of the tubular shewn inFi re 2. 1

If desired a relatively thin tube 5 of harder metal than that of the closure 3 may be inserted in the hollow length thereof as shewn in Figure 3, so that, upon fracturing the portion 3a thereof, the said tube will prevent any distortion of the orifice and ensures an unobstructed outlet for the fire-extinguishing medium.

connection 2 as tion 3a of the closure 3 by means of the lever 4 screwed thereon as aforesaid, a lever 5 may be provided for this pur ose pivoted to the tubular connection 2 and connected to the 5 said projecting portion of the closure by a flanged socket 6 screwed onto the outer end of the said projecting portion as shewn in Figures 4 and 5. The lever 5 may be mainly of U'-shape in cross-section the parallel side members thereof beingpivoted at their lower ends to the tubular connection and the socket 6 being passed through a hole in the central 1 member of the said lever and screwed up so that its flange 64: engages with the outer side of the said member. Fracture of the projecting portion 3a to liberate the fire-extinguishing medium is effected by turning the lever 5 on its pivot in the direction of the arrow E.

If desireu the fire-extin isher may be removably held by :pring c ips 7 secured to a bracket 8 which in turn s secured to a wall, or its equivalent, as shewn in Figures 6 and 7. In this example the projccting portion 3a of the closure has a flanged socket 6 screwed onto its outer end as in the construction shewn in Figures 4 and 5. The bracket 8 has a slot 811 formed therein having an enlarged upper portion to permit the flange 6a to pass therethrough and a reduced lower portion to permit only the socket to pass therethrough.

The fire-extinguisher is placed in position on the bracket 8 by tilting it, inserting the flange 6a of the socket 6 into the enlarged portion of the slot 80., lowering the said extinguisher until the said socket engages the reduced rtion of the said slot and then pushing. it into its vertical position between the. spring clips 7. When the fire-extinguisher is required for use, it is pulled, by 40 an angular movement, from the spring clips 7, thereby causing the projecting portion 3a of the closure to be fractured by the socket 6 which isheld against an the engagement of its bracket 8. a

The aforesaid fire-extinguishers may, after use, he again rechar d for future use. This can be easily effecte by un-scre'wing the portion of the closure 3 remainin in the tubular connection 2, re-charging t e vessel 1 ,Tas

ange 6a with the before and then again sealing the outlet. of.

the said connection by another soft, or plastic metal closure 3 is before.

i It will thus be seen that in fire-extinishers constructed in accordance with this invention the fire-extinguishing medium is contained under pressure in a sealed-vesse andis ready for lmmediate use.

What I claim is:

sel having a suitable uantity of fire extinguishing fluidstored t erein under ressure,

and a hollow frangible discharge out et mem I. 'In a fire extinguisher including a vesmember within the soft metal discharge member whereby to sustain the walls thereof against collapse and distortion when said outlet member is fractured to release the contents of the Vessel.

2. In a tire extinguisher including a. vessel having a suitable quantity of fire extinguishing fluid stored therein under pressure and a hollow frangible discharge outlet member having a closed outer end in communication with the interior of the vessel to discharge the contents thereof when said member is broken, the combination with the vessel and outlet member of a screw-threaded connection carried by the vessel, a cooperating screwthreaded portion carried'by t e outlet member,'the outlet member being composed of a relatively soft, plastic metal of relatively low tensile strength, and a relatively hard metal hollow core member within the'soft metal discharge member whereby to sustain the walls thereof against colla se'a'nd distortion when said outlet member is fractured to re lease the contents of the vessel.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification at London, England, this 16th day of v-August, 1932.

ROBERT HUNTER CAMPBELL.

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